Beijing: At least 15 people were killed and five others remained missing after heavy floods triggered by rains struck south China's Guangdong province.
The rainstorms, stated to be once-in-a-century phenomenon, slashed Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and Qingyuan cities and caused floods, house collapses and mud flows, the provincial flood control and civil affairs authorities said.
More than 140,000 people were affected, 21,000 were evacuated and 1,143 houses collapsed, the provincial civil affairs department said.
Since Wednesday, rainstorms in Guangdong have affected 800,000 people and caused emergency evacuation of 60,000 people and collapse of nearly 3,000 houses.
Sixteen national or provincial highways were closed due to the downpours, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Provincial authorities have activated an emergency response system and sent working teams and relief materials to the affected areas, it said.
